Eternal Hopes
by readpink
Summary: One girl, two lovers, a great distance separating the true lovers and a trip that will end up in a true friendship.
1. Chapter 1

Eternal hopes

Chapter 1

That night my hair was drawn back by the fury of the wind. My lips longed for his, but I knew that he may never come back. My wild heart was still, but I remembered when it used to beat and I'm sure that if it was still beating, I would feel like it would jump out of my chest.

I remember the day we met. You were so young and incredibly innocent. But now that I think of it, I was as innocent as you in those days. How could I have fallen for someone I didn't really know? My "parents" were always looking for something to blame on me. I could never do anything right, not even fall in love with "the right guy", according to my parents.

On that day I was really down because my father had been complaining about the way I buried my last meal. He wanted me to dig 14 ft from the surface, throw the corpse in the hole and then refill the hole fast. My younger sister is his only concern. He has never loved me and I know very well that he will never love me. Cassie was his only love, not counting my mother, Natalie. I remembered how pissed I was with Cassie because everything I did was wrong and everything she did was right. Even if she did something I had done earlier.

I always thought of being an eternal teenage as something I might be grateful for, but on those days I saw nothing but darkness. On that particular day, I was attending night classes in literature. I just wanted to escape from my world. Sitting in the front row next to the window I had my eyes concentrated on the book that was on my lap, and then it happened that the bell rang and every body went into class to get started. I remember the way I felt when I saw you walking through that door for the first time.

I thought you might be one of those typical people that only think of themselves and save whatever information they have deep within them. Even though I dislike people like that, I couldn't take my eyes off you. I liked the way your long black hair waved down your back. I felt jealous of your brown skin. You looked tan, something I would never do with my pale, white skin.

I tried to concentrate on the class but my eyes would now and then look for your figure on the other end of the row until your green eyes swiftly met my gaze. In that half second our eyes met, the floor and the walls beneath me would suddenly disappear. I felt as if I were floating in an infinite cosmos with only you by my side.

I put myself together as best as I could and kept my eyes on the text I had beneath my eyes. Something wasn't right. I felt different and my nose began hurting. I was paying so little attention to what surrounded me that I forgot to breathe. When the air got into my lungs, I became conscious of a particular scent that filled the entire room.

It was disgusting. It was a mix of dry mud and rotten roots combined with fresh–cut pine needles. Even though it may have been a nice scent for a human nose, for my delicate sense of smell it was too much. It was a really strong scent but I had to focus on the "Romeo and Juliet" text I had in front of me. The end of class was far for it had just begun.

Although literature class was one of my favorites, it seemed like an eternity before it ended and before I could escape from that scent that was overwhelming me. I knew something was wrong because the room had never smelled that way before you came, but I couldn't bear to keep my eyes on you. And finally it happened, the bell rang and I was free to go to the garden before the next class and breathe some fresh air, (not that I needed it, but it would be helpful to let me think with some clarity).

I gathered my things as fast as I could to get out of the room but when I looked up at the door, you were standing there watching every single movement I made with such caution that it made me wonder who you were and why you were looking at me with such insistence.

There was no one left in the room except for the two of us and Mr. Collins who had his eyes focused on his planner notebook. We looked at each other for what seemed an eternity and the feeling of floating in an infinite cosmos returned. It wasn't until I dropped my "Romeo and Juliet" book on my foot that the spell suddenly broke. I was about to shout out in pain (as a normal girl would do), when you came to my side and spoke for the first time.

– Are you ok?

Even though I would have liked to deny it, your deep, soft voice was so comforting I wished I could listen to it for the rest of my immortal life. But when I breathe in air to answer, that disgusting scent returned, stronger than before and I could see that you tried to hide the repulsion that my scent caused you. I recall wondering why.

– Ye…yes I… I'm fine. – I managed to say.

– Here take some chocolate. It's good for a fright.

– Thank you. – I said, taking the chocolate and pretending to eat it.

I saw the impatience in your eyes and I wondered if mine looked the same way.

– Umm... When is your next class?

– In about 45 minutes. I don't take history but I take arithmetic.

– Wanna go out for some fresh air?

– Yeah, if it's ok with you.

You didn't answer but you helped me to the door. I don't know if you already knew that I didn't need any help because I wasn't really hurt but you guided me to one of the three gardens of the campus and sat me on one of the farthest benches. Then with the last quarter moon upon us you said:

– Why is someone like you in a place like this? Why did you have to show you face in a public place like this?

– What're you talking about? – I said as innocently as my training allowed me.

– Don't play with me, I know perfectly well what you are…VAMPIRE.

Silence fell like the knife of a murder flying in the dead of night. My eyes grew wide open and the little blood that runs through my cheeks suddenly drained. I knew I was paler than ever in my life and with the pale moon light that surrounded the high school it was even worse. But as if it were divine intervention, I abruptly remembered the warnings my mom used to tell me before dawn. The few things we must really worry about are: being discovered, the sun and…

– Don't tell me that you will kill me now. I also know what you are WEREWOLF. I knew something was wrong the moment you crossed the door of the literature class. —I said with something even worse than indifference.

Now it was your turn to become pale and fright was written all over your face. I didn't realize how much I hurt you until it was too late. You turned your face to the moon in just two seconds but I had seen enough. I wasn't going to let this weird feeling I had whenever I saw you overwhelm me. I was too proud for that. Even more important I could tell it was dangerous, for both of us.

You surprised me by breaking the silence. I didn't expect you to go back to class when I said that. I stayed a bit longer and then, when the smell of your body was gone, I stood up and went back to school as if nothing had happened.

Three months passed by. You would get out of the class room first, for you were nearer to the door than I was. I would just look at you now and then during literature class. Even though they were just quick glances the feeling grew stronger each day. At first I was confused and I didn't know what to call it until that miraculous night. That night you were waiting for me outside of the room.

– I need to talk to you. Now! —It sounded really urgent but I didn't have time to answer because you took my wrist and began walking to the same bench we had gone to the first time we talked.

You were serious when we stopped and you looked at me. Your eyes were glowing with impatience but your face remained expressionless. After that you began talking in a clear, quick voice.

– I'm a jerk you know. —I could listen sadness combined with what I thought was excitement. —My family will be so disappointed with me because of what I'm about to say. But if I don't say it now I don't know if I can hold back any longer. Sooner or later it will be known but I want you to be the first one to know.

You took a deep breath. I waited until you were ready to say what ever you had to say.

– Three months have passed since we first met. —You began. —And in those 3 months, a feeling has been growing within me. I tried to ignore it at first but I can't ignore it any longer.

I began to feel anxious and uncomfortable. I wasn't sure if you were having the same feeling as I was, but something prevented me from asking.

– I need to tell you this now before I become a coward again. —You doubted, came closer to me and then said in my ear. —I love you, ever since I first saw you.

I hugged you and said:

– I love you too.

And there, with the first quarter moon we had our first kiss.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Things changed a lot from that day on. We didn't know if it was for good or for bad but we did know it was dangerous. Every night we would see each other in literature class. I would have loved to be by your side all class long but I wouldn't have been able to hide the repugnancy your scent caused me. I know you wouldn't have been able either. The difference was that I could survive without any air, but you couldn't.

We would spend our free periods watching the moon rise sat on the same bench we had met. You would only skip school once a month: the night of full moon. Those nights I felt lonely and my cold arms longed for your fire burning chest. I wanted you to hold me and kiss my lips once dead but now alive thanks to the feeling you created in me.

I know you didn't like to talk about your family very much, nor did I. Even though we didn't talk about it frequently, I remember one of our chats.

– So you don't like your sister because she's "perfect" and you're not? —you asked a little sarcastically. —You're crazy. You ARE perfect just the way you are. —You added, and embraced me with your strong arms.

– You only say so because you can't understand the way I feel when my father spoils and rewards her while I'm watching, unable to do anything to please him. —I snapped back.

I was getting frustrated and mad. I didn't like to think of my father and Cassie, at least not with you.

– I didn't know you were so jealous. —You said softly in my ear.

– And you? What about your family? Do you have any irritating little brothers or sisters? —I asked in a playful voice.

You became serious and moved your face from my ear to my hair, happily playing with it but holding your breathe.

– What great curiosity you have, but if you really want to know, my father is a really old man. He doesn't care much about what I do unless it compromises the family's honor. My mother, Miriam, I don't really understand what she sees in the old man but it doesn't seem so impossible next to us. —We both laughed a little. Then you continued, —But she's really nice, I love her a lot. She's always worrying about what I do and what I don't do. Thanks to her I'm here today.

"We move a lot so she's always keeping an eye on my studies. I think that's because it cost a lot for her to get pregnant. I was kind of a miracle for her in that way.

"John, my father, wasn't that enthusiastic and he never played with me when I was a little boy, no matter how much I begged. But he did take good care of me. I'm almost sure it was because my mother asked him to.

"My mother says he had a hard childhood and when she met him he was going to a psychiatrist because of his traumas. She never told me which traumas and I never asked.

You became silent with a melancholic look in your eyes. I couldn't bear to feel empathy and pity for you, so I changed the subject.

– Hey, now that I think about it, I don't know your last name.

– You're gonna laugh. —You said.

– I promise I won't. Please tell me.

– Ok. I'll trust you. —You moved our bodies so we could look at each other right in the eyes and you said solemnly. — My last name is Rosewind.

– It's beautiful. —I said, amazed with the beauty of your last name. I realized that even that made me happy, —It sounds really good. Liam Rosewind. Perfect, just like the person that owns the name.

You smiled, thanked me and then said:

– I don't know your last name either, Reira.

– Mine isn't as pretty as yours, I have to say, but I don't have any complaints. Mine is Eberlee. Reira Eberlee.

– I love it. But now that we're talking about names, isn't Reira a foreign name?

– Yes actually, Reira is the Japanese version of Layla, so my name in English would be Layla Eberlee.

– It still sounds sweet and cute.

Some other night I recall asking you about a very personal issue. If you thought I did it because I wanted to make you uncomfortable, please forgive me it was just solid curiosity.

– Are you a werewolf because of your father or because of something else? —I asked.

You looked at me for a long time, scruting my face. Finally you answered:

– I'm what I'm because of my mother. Yes even if you make that face. My mother used to loose control when she phased and kill anyone that was on her reach, even if she wasn't hungry. She hated that so she went with a shaman to ask for help. The shaman gave her a potion that allowed her to be conscious of what was happening around her whenever she phased.

"The first time I phased I was only 10. Boys in my first school used to laugh at me because my father was so old he looked more like my grandpa rather than my father. One day in particular I was really pissed off because some kids had been calling me son of a senile. When I got home, my mother was waiting for me.

"She received me with her smiling face but I was too angry to even say hi. In that moment she realized something was wrong and followed me to my room. When I looked at her I remember that I growled at her, you hear me, I growled at her.

"She covered her mouth and went out of my room silently. I couldn't believe what I just did but my surprise was even more when she came back holding a glass of a black, thick liquid.

"Without any doubts or fear in her eyes, my mother walked straight to my bed and kneeled on the floor, next to my head, holding the glass.

`– Drink. Your moment has come. —She said softly giving me the glass.

"I looked at the gross liquid. I even smelled its strong scent that made me remember of wet mud and baked carrots. Not that I didn't like carrots, but I hadn't try mud and I didn't want it to be my first time.

"Finally I closed my eyes, cover my nose and drank. The taste was even worse than the scent, but somehow, and it was really weird, it tasted better than I ever imagined. Gently, my mom took the glass away from me and went out of my room without saying anything else.

"At noon, when the sun was hiding on the horizon, my mother came back to my room and softly took my hands in hers. I was shaking. She made me stand up gently and guided me to the back yard. I must tell you that the first house we had, was located on a little piece of land surrounded by trees, with no one living near us. Not even a soul.

"The sun set the moment my mother and I stepped out the house. But she kept walking right into the forest, still holding my hand and me walking by her side. She walked faster and faster until we were running.

"She stopped abruptly in a little, irregular space where the trees were apparently ripped from root to top. My eyes were paying so much attention to what surrounded me that I didn't realize my mom had set me free and the moon was raising from the east.

"My mom touched my arm slightly and said:

`– It's time for you to know what we really are.

"And with no more explanations, she phased right in front of me. I was shocked for a minute. Then I looked up and began shaking. I felt my entire body vibrating, changing. I closed my eyes and when I reopen them I wasn't a boy any more. Looking at myself in a little puddle, I found out that I was a weird kind of wolf. I did have the face of a normal wolf but unlike a normal wolf, I was standing on two legs without being that an impediment of my perfect balance. My body was covered by a thick layer of a snow white fur with little brown spots on the chest.

You were silent for a minute. My eyes were looking at your face trying to look for any emotions that would betray your anxiety of remembering all of this, but I couldn't. Then you kept going.

– My mother came to me in a second and spoke to me like she normally did. She told me that in what we had turned that night would be the very essence of our existence. She spoke to me, for the first time, about your kind, about how we were enemies and that I couldn't have mercy on any of them. For years I followed her instructions with no regret on my heart but then you appeared and everything changed.

Your eyes were focused on a place, and I didn't know how far it was, that only you knew. Then you looked at me and tightened our hug.

– I'm sorry. I ended your perfect rate so abruptly. —I said a little sarcastic and with a smile in my lips.

–Yeah I think you did, but you know what, I regret nothing. —was your answer and I couldn't bear to feel happy.

– But there's a part in your story that I don't understand. —I said. —Why do you have to move so frequently, like me?

– Well that is the funniest part, you see, we have to eat so my mom and I go hunt deer or bears, but when the food begins to run out…

– You move to another place where there is more food and no one asks you what happened to the animals while you were living there.

– Exactly! How do you know?

– Because that is the same story of my existence. Don't you agree?

Time passed by and days became weeks, weeks became months. I felt extraordinarily well. With you I felt complete and useful. But fate wasn't going to let someone like me have a "happily ever after" ending. Apparently your parents discovered my scent impregnated on your clothes, even though you brought extra clothes to change when school was over and you personally washed them. I guess it was your mother who discovered us, but I don't know that for sure.

– Reira I need to talk with you. It's really important. – You said. – This may be my last chance.

– What're you talking about? You're scaring me. – I had a bad feeling.

You held me tight in your arms and I held you too. I realized that you were crying because you began whimpering in my arms.

– Reira, I love you more than anything in the world and you know it. I can barely live with out you. – You paused and then kept going. – Reira, I'm moving again and I don't know where we are going to live. I don't want to leave.

It couldn't be possible. All my happiness was taken away from me the moment I turned into a vampire: my confidence, my family, my life, everything. Now that I was able to be happy again with you Liam, fate took you away from me. It wasn't fair.

I wasn't able to say anything, I was shocked. Finally in a whisper almost inaudible I asked:

– When?

– My parents told me that by the end of the week. – You answered in a whisper too, but still sobbing.

No. This couldn't be happening to me. Why was it that every time something good happened to me something else had to come and ruin it? Why did life (if I could call my life style: life) never allow someone like me to be happy? Why? Was it because I shouldn't exist or just because I have bad luck? It wasn't fair; I didn't ask for the dark gift, it wasn't my fault. But that didn't matter to God, if there is one.

End of the week. I remember it was Wednesday and the next day there would be a full moon shining in the sky. That left me with only one more day to see you.

I held you even tighter and I also began crying, forgetting the consequences. The bell rung but I couldn't let you go nor did you try to get yourself free.

When I moved my face away from your shoulder, I saw the mark of my red tears. You didn't seem to notice the blood on your shirt but instead you cleaned the tears on my face away with your hand.

I used to like it when you rubbed my face so I seized your hand and put it against my ice cold cheek for a while. We kissed each other more passionately than ever before.

The next night, time went so slowly that I could barely put up with the feeling of emptiness. I wanted to see you before you left.

I tried to distract myself a little with the literature class but the last words you said to me the previous night filled up my mind to the point where nothing else could come in.

– I'll come back for you, I promise. No, I swear, with the shining moon above us as our witness, that someday I will come back to make you happy.

Those words sounded so full of meaning. They didn't sound shallow, as other things I had heard before. I believed you but I was afraid of feeling lonely and useless again, so I couldn't manage to say something back.

Friday. I waited for you, impatient and anxious. I wanted to hug you one last time. The bell rung and every one went into class. With pain in my heart I watched as my classmates went in and you didn't. I didn't dare to think that you didn't come to school, but that you were late. I waited and waited without believing that you were late, I wasn't that innocent.

When the class was over I slowly went outside to sit on the bench we used to share. My hair was drawn back by the fury of the wind and at some point I began to think that I was flying, looking for you. I didn't want to stop feeling that. But apparently I just ended the spell and I was dropped back to the cruel reality in a second. I couldn't stop feeling betrayed in some way but I knew it wasn't your fault. Instead of making my body fly, I let my heart run free. Your promise was still in my mind and I felt better. Even though I knew I may not see you again, I still hang to that little hope. As long as I exist, I swear I will hang on to that hope.

* * *

Well this is ir for this chapter

I hope you had all enjoyed

i would like to knoy what you think about it

so don't be afraid to speaking your mind and send reviews

so i can listen to what you want to say

I'll do my best to correct my mistakes and make you happy

well see you soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Time passed by and I no longer cared what happened to me. My father, always complaining about my incompetence meant so little to me to even bother to listen. Cassie, my little sister forever the perfect, sweet doll my father loved was now no reason of jealousness. My mother, the one that paid more attention to each one of us, asked me every night:

– What is wrong Layla?

I hadn't told anyone of my love, my impossible love. Not because I am afraid but because I just don't feel in the mood to tell anyone what is really happening to me. How the loss of my love has interfered in school. How it feels to be all by yourself in a world of hate, surrounded by an unsupportive family. No, I am not in a mood yet, maybe tomorrow.

Tomorrow came and still I didn't feel well enough to open my heart to people that didn't care much about my happiness, but it would be wrong to be silent any longer. I waited for the usual question.

– What's wrong Layla?

– My heart. –I said softly. –It's broken.

– So now you will talk. –my father said bitterly.

– If you want I can shut up again. End of discussion.

– No Layla, please. It's been too long since you said a word to anyone. I beg you, keep going. –my mother said, really feeling every word. –Who dared to break your heart?

– I think the right question would be _why _he broke my heart. –I was talking in an indifferent tone that even made me wonder if it was really me who was speaking.

– Okay then, why did he dared to break your heart?

– It isn't actually his fault to be who he is and I doubt Liam would do anything to harm me. –my voice was getting softer. It always happens that when I talk about Liam.

– Liam. –my father was suddenly reacting. –So now it's not _he_ now it's _Liam_.

I didn't listen to his provocative tone.

– Please honey, continue. I'm still having problems to understand that part of: not his fault to be who he is.

– Liam and I were kind of dating since we first met and I got to know him well. I knew his feelings toward me were as real as mine for him but fate has made our union fail.

My mother and Cassie were looking at me with such curious eyes I wondered what would had happened if I had talked about this earlier. My father had his eyes in the newspaper I knew he wasn't reading. He was just listening to what I said to scream or made fun of me.

– Our union failed because we were too different and our love was prohibited by history. We got separated because Liam was a werewolf. –I said this last sentence with pride and sadness but my family responded in a more dangerous way I would expect, my father over all.

– You ungrateful traitor! How could you even dare to come to this house while you were mopping around with mongrels! –he hit me at the same time he was yelling.

From my mother's chest came dreadful screams of pain asking to an invisible god or goddess what she had done to deserve me as her daughter. She curled in the floor, uncurling now and then to release another howl.

My sister was as still as a rock, not able to move or talk. In her eyes I saw fear, surprise and doubt. Fear of what may happen when her time came. Surprise of my resent secret revealed and doubt of my mental sanity.

I didn't care. I didn't even feel the punches in my body. I didn't hear my mother's wails, pounding in my ears. I didn't see my rock-like sister. I was flying again, flying and looking for my love, my dear Liam. My body waved with the wind currents going up and down, east to west, north to south. I was just a leaf that allowed the wind to carry my weight and my existence.

The earth ran quickly below me. I felt free and light. I flew and flew and not even the sun could stop me from looking for Liam. I flew to the north through a forest. And when I saw the mountains I found a trail of smoke I knew it would lead me to Liam and then…

Everything stopped so quickly or so it seemed to me like that. I was alone in the living room with nearly five broken ribs, my left shoulder dislocated and my left leg almost tore apart. I didn't feel the pain or the tickling inside my body that meant the recovery of my injuries. I was far too happy to think in all of those simple things. I wondered, wondered with all my heart if what I saw was an epiphany of Liam's location or just an illusion of my distorted mind.

I thought about all of these while I limped toward my room. I thought of how long had it been since I last thought of him. Liam, my dear Liam. How much had he changed in the last eight months? Eight months, God who would ever think I could resist that much. It was sad. I would have loved to see your long black hair or your big, shinny, green eyes in that moment. I would have given my life, no, my existence to be in your arms just for one second.

I got into place my broken bones while I was thinking about all of that. Liam's memory was enough to relieve the pain I felt when I moved the bones inside my body. I was done in a few minutes but I remained on my bed, sitting on the edge so the blood would do its job. The healing part was taking too long and the sun was about to rise so I decided to go to sleep. So I closed the curtains and got into the coffin hidden under my bed.

The coffin was made out of an expensive kind of dark oak, perfectly polished and custom made. It had little, silver engraving on the borders that made the coffin look delicate. It had soft, silver velvet covering every inch of the inside, making it very comfortable during my sleep hours. I remember it was made in 1882, the year the dark gift was given to me. How ever, even now in 2007 the coffin looked simple and modern.

I lay down on the silver velvet and closed my eyes, waiting for the unconsciousness to drag me to an entirely new world where we could be together. Unconsciousness came sooner than I thought but I was grateful for that. Beneath my close eyelids I remember I went back to that forest near the mountains where I'm sure you are, but this time I didn't stop when I saw the smoke trail. I kept going till I saw a little house delimitated with a fence and near a calmed pond.

I felt anxious and uneasy when the door suddenly opened. I wished with all my heart that the one going out was you. I saw a hand on one side of the door that was opening it slowly and then the image was gone. My eyes popped open and the dream was gone, my anxiety was gone, Liam was gone.

Slowly I went out of the coffin, put it back to its place and changed my clothes and realized I was really thirsty. I guessed that during the day the blood inside my body had more to do than I thought. Dragging my feet I went out of my room, down stairs and finally out of the house. No one spoke to me, not even looked at me. I liked that.

It was earlier that I thought. The sun had just set on the west horizon. I calculated the hour and find myself with enough time to go hunting and get to school on time. I ran toward the mountains to find some deer or, luckily, a bear. I have to say that living on a rural area had its advantages. I barely had contact with some one that lived around us. Neighbors used to come to our house during the day to say hi or to ask for something, usually some food, but because no one answered until night came, they stopped coming around. That gave me enough freedom to run as fast as I pleased to hunt.

When I got near I thanked the smell of a bear's blood. I followed the blood trail and found myself in front of a 2 meter, brown bear. I finished quickly with the bear and looked for something else. Not far I found a rat nest and even if I wasn't a rat fan I devoured every single one.

Satisfied, I went back home to get my books and my school stuff. I found my mother sitting in the couch, with her eyes lost in space and time. I thought it wouldn't hurt just to take my things and leave, but before I even touched my books her voice stopped me.

– How long? –she asked.

– How long what? –I asked back, knowing the answer.

– How long were you dating him?

– Three months.

– How long it's been since he left?

– Eight months. –I answered with sadness in my heart.

Natalie didn't add something to the conversation and I guessed I was dismissed. I took my school stuff and went out of the house.

* * *

Well this is ir for this chapter

I hope you had all enjoyed

i would like to knoy what you think about it

so don't be afraid to speaking your mind and send reviews

so i can listen to what you want to say

I'll do my best to correct my mistakes and make you happy

well see you soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

It's said that peace always comes after the storm but I think that in my case it was only a break to untie a new and more powerful storm. And I wasn't mistaken. A month later from the incident at my house, clouds of a new storm was sighted in the horizon.

Everything began with the bell's sound. I sat at my usual chair in literature class. Everyone got into the room but suddenly an unknown voice spoke to me.

– Is this chair taken?

An unfamiliar but, strangely, a well known tone of voice rang in my ears. I turned my face to see the one that spoke and what I saw left me breathless. I saw a pair of perfect turquoise eyes looking at me. A little snub nose perfectly balanced with the fleshy pair of reddish lips. His hair was light brown combined with a soft blond. He had a modern look with his straight hair down to his shoulders and a diagonal fringe that covered almost every inch of his forehead and part of his left eye. His skin was as pale as mine and his light brown eye brows perfectly delineated were almost completely hidden with his fringe.

I assimilate all his beauty in a few seconds and answered:

– Well actually it is but you can ask the guy sitting here for seat exchange.

– That sounds good to me. Who sits here?

– The guy with brown cap and white shirt.

– Thanks. –he said politely and went to talk with the guy I'd indicated.

He came back in a few moments and sat next to me. The class began and Mr. Collins announced.

– Today we'll work in pairs. I'll teach you how to give intonation to a text with two characters. By the way, we have a new exchange student. Why don't you come up and present yourself son?

– Of course. –He said politely as he stood up.—My name is Archibald Gallagher and I come from Isle of Skye, Scotland.

– And how long are you going to stay here in Austria?

– I don't know. My parents told me to take as much time as I wanted.

– Well then, be welcome to the American International School of Vienna.

I heard the girls gossiping cheerfully about the gorgeous, new exchange student. The boys, in the contrary, were comparing themselves with that strangely beautiful boy. He was thin and a few inches higher than me but I doubted he was taller than Liam. However, his arms and his chest looked strong enough to create jealousy among boys and fascination among girls.

He walked gracefully back to his seat and Mr. Collins made the sign to make the pairs. While I was wondering why Mr. Collins hadn't asked Liam to present himself too, his voice interrupted my thoughts.

– May I be your couple?

I turned to look at him and nodded as response. I knew everyone in class were looking at us. I ignored them and waited for Mr. Collins' instructions. Mr. Collins came near us and handed out a text extracted from one of my favorite books: "Summer of my German soldier", by Bette Green.

We finished soon and he began to talk.

– Hey, may I ask for you name?

– Sure, I'm Reira but you can call me Layla.

– It's beautiful name even if it's hard to pronounce. And your last name?

– Eberlee. Layla Eberlee. –I answered with too little interest

– Eberlee, Eberlee, I'm sure I had heard that name before.

He caught my interest for a second and then I pronounced in an almost inaudible whisper.

– The moon is our mother and the stars our guard.

– As long as blood exists we shall live in darkness. –he answered in a whisper similar to mine.

There was no doubt, he was like me. He completed the secret oath by which we could identify ourselves as vampires that came in peace. We looked at each other for a moment and then he laughed silently.

– I knew I had heard that name before. My father told me to look for you if I had time to. I didn't imagine you were going to be the first family I would find.

– Why would you look for us? –I asked with a little of enthusiasm in my voice.

– Well, not exactly look for your family, but for your company. My father told me that if I didn't want to be alone I could look for your family and ask for your hospitality.

– Mmm. That is something you'll have to discuss with my father but I doubt he'll put any objections. –I said out loud but in my heart I wished he wouldn't stay at my house.

Thinking about this, the bell rang and I began to gather my things. When I was about to stand up and get dismissed by him, he stood up and asked.

–Can I get to know you better? I don't take history so if you're free we can talk for a while.

I stopped breathing for a second and then simply answered:

– I don't take history either.

I stepped out of the room, began to walk to the gardens and, unconsciously, lead the way to that special bench I used to share with Liam. I sat on one edge of the bench while he sat nearer than I'd liked him to be.

– So, –I began, –Archibald…

– Archie. –He interrupted. –Just Archie.

– O.k. Archie, what did you want to talk about?

– I don't know, how about your family.

– What do you want to know? –I said with a bored tone in my voice.

Archie sighed and then said with an animated voice.

– Let me show you. I come from an ancient family that gave me the dark gift about 127 years ago. My father taught me how to hunt appropriately and even drink human blood without killing. I think that was the hardest lesson. My first tries were almost a complete failure. If it wasn't for my father, I would have killed my preys without any doubt. Actually I did kill a guy once and even if he was a drug addict murderer, I will have to carry with that death upon my shoulders for the rest of my existence.

"Elizabeth, my mother, is a lovely lady. She is so sweet and easy to love. She taught me how to move in my new world without creating any problems to the family. She taught me enough secret codes and oaths to survive and told me never to give someone the dark gift by myself or without her permission or my father's.

"My father, Isaac, even though he is really strict, he is a very cheerful man that likes to celebrate when I reach some goal. However my parents aren't completely happy and I know that. They suffered a great loss some years before they turned me.

"They have told me that their first creation had a really sad story. His name was Lucian. He was meant to be my older brother but according to what my parents say the dark gift was, for him, a heavier curse to carry than they had ever imagined. Apparently he was so weak-hearted that even killing a rat made him uncomfortable and sank him into a great depression. He was just six months old and the misery in his eyes made evident how much he hated the dark gift. At least that's what my parents told me so I wouldn't be able to say if it's true or not but I believe them.

"One night he went out of the house as usual so it didn't surprise my parents. The great clock of the hall ticked and minutes passed quickly. It was getting late and Lucian hadn't come back yet. My parents began to feel nervous but it was too late to go look for him, the sun was coming out.

"My parents wanted to think that Lucian found a place to rest, away from the sunlight. They went to sleep and when the moon was rising my mother went instinctively to Lucian's room where she found a note. Scared of what it could say she read fast the few lines of the note. It said:

Dear Mom and Dad:

I love you. I love both of you a lot but I can't resist any longer. To cause pain and sorrow

within this world wasn't what I wanted. Forgive me please.

Lucian.

"After that my mother dropped the note and passed out on Lucian's bed. My father found her a few minutes later with the note but it was too late for Lucian.

* * *

1000 sorries I wasn't able to write for a while

but as you may have noticed im not dead XD

well i hope you like this chapter and the next two will be coming soon.

thanks and don't forget that reviews are welcome

^o^/


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Archie went silent for a few moments and I could see his eyes were wandering in an unknown place to me. After a second I realized I was paying close attention to every word he said. I felt a little guilty to make him talk about something he may not want to recall. I promised to myself I wasn't going to let anything like that happen again. I would close in my little shell and never open it with Archie again. I was such a fool to think I would be able to keep that promise.

– Well, what about you? –Archie said, suddenly bringing himself to the place and moment we were both sharing.

– You'll get to know them. –I mumbled in return, stood up and ran away so fast that not even Archie reacted fast enough to stop me.

I didn't want to imagine living with that stranger for I didn't know how long. I didn't want to think of the possible ending to that story. I wasn't going to allow anyone to stop me from thinking of Liam, to stop loving him the way I still loved him. I wasn't going to let anybody take his place in my heart. But that was obviously never going to happen for I could love no one the way I loved Liam. No one. My relationship with him was unique and untouchable.

Even though Archie was a good person (vampire actually) I didn't want to know him better, I didn't want him close to me, I didn't want an intruder in my lonely existence. If I couldn't be with Liam then I'd rather be alone. What was the point of meeting someone new if the very existence of Liam was enough to make me feel happy, useful and complete, why in the world would I have liked to meet someone new?

I realized all of this as I ran at human pace to my next class leaving far behind me Archie, the other vampire, the new one, the intruder. I sat on my desk at arithmetic class and pretended to check my notes when Archie arrived. Time ran as water slips through my fingers but even if school ended late, night was still young for someone like me.

I didn't go to my house first thing after school. I wandered a long time through the city, my beautiful city. I wondered when was the last time I had taken a little tour through Vienna. Ten months, maybe more.

I've always liked to walk through the cities I lived at. In my first years as a vampire I had wondered why I did that, now I could say it was because I liked to know where I lived. I liked to feel part of the city, part of the community, part of the human world again. Even if it was for the briefest moment, I liked to do it.

I came across some people. Most of them were young men and they were not alone. They always came with a small party of four or five. Some of them came just with a girl and only once a man showed up with two or three girls, I wasn't really sure. It was odd to look at them to see how men could so quickly change their mind. To see how easy it was for some women to tolerate the lack of love or at least that's what I wanted to think at that moment though I was sure it was as hard as to resist the temptation of drinking human blood.

I walked and walked but when I realized where I was, I couldn't bare to curse my own idiocy. I was surrounded by bars and brothels. Unconsciously I went to the most dangerous part of the city (dangerous to a human girl of course). I began to turn on my steps when a group of five men surrounded me. I looked up to the man that was just in front of me. The man was as tall as Archie, I calculated quickly. He wore some bleached jeans and a black nasty sweatshirt. His eyes were injected in blood and there were huge bags under his eyes. I assumed he, as well as the rest of the men that surrounded me were drug addicts. I didn't have to look around to know that.

The man in front of me suddenly cracked into a loud, humorlessly laugh and then he spoke.

– Hey there little baby. Curious to know what daddy will do tonight. I think is time for the baby to go to bed. Yeah, I think it is. If not… well daddy will to have punish the little baby. –he said incoherently in a monotone while I watched calmly.

– _The baby cries, the baby poos but the baby can not run._ –someone else sang from behind me he sang with the same monotone as the first man. I didn't bother to look at him.

Every one boomed in laughter for a few seconds as if the one that sang had tell the best joke ever.

– Come on little baby, come and play a while with daddy. –said the first guy, still with his monotone.

– No. –I said calmly. –Little baby doesn't want to play with daddy, little baby is going to keep walking.

And with that sentence and the littlest of the efforts I found my way out of the barricade the men had formed around me. That seemed to have taken the drug addicts off guard but it was enough for me to win some time before they ran after me. I knew they would and they did, they were so predictable. When they were a few inches from me I began to laugh at the same time I started to run. I didn't want any one to see me so I accelerated until everything was a blur.

I stopped abruptly in a little alley still laughing. I couldn't believe how fun it was to mess up with drug addicts. The best part was that they wouldn't remember me; they wouldn't remember their _little baby_ that escaped her five fathers' guard.

When I came out of the alley, I saw around me and found myself outside my school again. I sighed and began walking to my house. I wandered a little longer suddenly wondering for the hour, and then I saw the big clock: 11:40. I sighed again and mutter to myself:

– It's going to be a long night.

I had no idea of what I would tell to my parents when I got home. Probably I would tell them I had been hunting or just tell them the truth, except for the drug addict's part. I didn't care and I knew they didn't care either. I had been mistreated, humiliated and rejected by my parents in all possible ways. But thinking more fondly about it, my father was the only one how humiliated and mistreated me. He was the only reason I was upset and jealous of my sister, he was the only reason I've been rejected by mother in several occasions. He was the only reason of my unhappiness for he was the one who turned me. I was sure about it.

I sat on a bench I found in my way home and stared at the dark sky. The stars were shinning dimly and the moon was covered by a great cloud. I waited till the moon shone once more in the sky and found that the almost full moon reminded me of that gloomy night in which I lost Liam. The last night I saw him the moon was exactly like this.

I remembered with such agony that, I swore by the shining moon, I felt like my dead heart broke into a thousand pieces that could be never put back into place. My head felt heavy and my sight grew dim for a few moments. Then I pulled myself together and stood up.

My legs, even though they were strong, trembled at my weight and I had to sit back again. I felt so human in that moment I almost felt happy. I wondered if I could make that last longer but I was wrong and the moment I felt myself again I stood up and began walking through the streets, wanting to make the inevitable look far away. I did that as long I was able to. Then the buildings began to look smaller and smaller until there were just houses left. The streets grew wider until the crops began to narrow the path again.

My pace was slow, even for a human and for a moment I even got to think I would never get to my house in time. That the sun would come out from the east and would destroy my existence once and for all.

I was wrong. Even though I walked slowly, my house came into view faster than I wanted. It got closer and closer until finally I was there. The gate and the small garden were the only things that interfered between that building and me.

I didn't move an inch for a long time watching the dark brown, wooden door. The wood was old but it was heavy and therefore it made the house look like a safe place to live in. The house wasn't that big it was a two floored house with several advantages. For example the windows. The house didn't have windows on the first floor, not even one. In the second floor there was a balcony that led to my parent's room. It was a balcony of no more than a meter wide and two meter long. The heavy curtains against the glass made evident that no one should look inside. From the outside front, the white house looked like a typical abandoned house but it was completely different from the inside.

The expensive carpets and furniture. The new and modern electrical devices. The perfectly painted walls and the good maintenance made obvious that there was someone living in that house.

I opened the gate, crossed the garden and unlock the wooden door. I took a step forward, my eyes on the floor. I was going to pass through the living room's door and went directly upstairs. But then…

– Layla you're back.

I turned to see my father when I saw him sitting on the couch. It didn't really surprised me but I feared what was coming.

– Layla let me introduce you to Archibald Gallagher. He will stay with us as long as he wants to.

My father wasn't asking. The decision had already been made. On the couch Archie looked at me intensely and with a little shy smile on his face. I didn't want to believe it but there was nothing I could do in that moment to stop it.

* * *

As promised here is chapter 5

ENJOY!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

I stared at the four pale faces that looked at me with intense eyes. My life was about to change forever in that moment and I wasn't aware of that until it was too late. The blood that ran through my veins thumped fiercely in my ears but I resisted the temptation of falling on my knees and cover my ears with my hands until the thudding stopped. I didn't move an inch while I answered.

– I already met him.

– How could that be possible? —my father asked in disbelief. I knew him too well to know he wasn't surprised.

– We are together at school. We have the same classes. —Archie answered before I could even open my mouth.

– Do you? —my father said with a strange edge in his voice. –In that case I think you should be the one who teach him our traditions.

– I wouldn't like to bother Layla, plus I'm already aware of your traditions my mother taught them to me.

– Okay then there is just one more question you have to answer. –Dad made a pause and then added, — When can you move in?

– If you don't mind I'll move in tonight. I can bring my coffin from the hotel in a few minutes _if_ it's not a bother.

My eyes grew wide open, looking in disbelief that unfamiliar face. Archie met my gaze for a few seconds. His eyes anxious but then my father said.

– Perfect! So it will be.

– We will prepare your room while you're out. —My mother said. It was the first time I heard her speak ever since I came in.

Archie looked away from me to thank my mother with a smile and a head nod. My mother looked satisfied and returned the smile warmly.

– But you know, I think you shouldn't go alone all the way to the hotel. Why don't you make him company Layla? —my father suggested in that false tone I hated.

– I don't think I can be good company for him tonight.

– Well and why not? Could it be that you don't want Archie to stay with us? Or simply because you don't like him at all?

– No sir. None of the above. I just thought that I wouldn't be a good company for him in this moment because we already met so. Maybe it would be better if someone else got to know him better besides me. Don't you think?

– Could be but I want you to make him company tonight.

– If Layla doesn't want to go with Archie I can do it. —Cassie said suddenly.

– Cassie, honey, I'm happy you want to help but you would be more useful here, helping mom.

– Ok —Cassie answered weakly.

– Sir I'm really ashamed to cause such a problem. If Layla doesn't want to come it's ok with me.

– No, no it's fine. Layla will go with you. She knows and understands the consequences of mistreating a guest. Don't you, Layla?

– Yes father.

– Well, it's decided then.

The next thing I remember is that I walked out of the house with Archie by my side and with a sour taste in my mouth. Actually, more than sour, it was an extremely metallic flavor. As if I had drink from a sick animal. I didn't think too much in the fact that I was walking with a stranger towards I didn't even know were.

More than walking, I was running through the night with a silent pace. Archie kept up without effort, always looking at me. I felt uncomfortable with that but I didn't say anything. My strong legs were speeding up without any conscious order that told them to run faster. Archie adapted to my new pace and with no previous advisement he stopped in front of a luxurious hotel door.

I moved back to his side and we got in the hotel with no more explanations. The moment we entered, I was blinded momentarily by the light of the reception. It was a big, rectangular construction with a great round mosaic in the center. Everywhere you looked you could see the light shining from the foot and table lamps. There was also a great chandelier that reminded me of a giant spider. The chandelier was over the mosaic on the floor and as we passed between them I felt as if both the floor and the ceiling were ready to squeeze Archie and me.

The receptionist was a tall, young woman. She was pretty and her makeup was perfectly set. Archie walked straight to the elevators and as we passed I was able to notice that she looked at us with a smile on her face. It was easy to understand what she was thinking and I despised her for that, so I gave her my back and stared at the floor with hate.

As I thought about that, the elevator arrived. My legs moved mechanically and I didn't turn until the doors were closed. The number 7 was lightened up and Archie lay against one side of the elevator with his eyes closed. I looked at him for a moment and then turned my face to the floor again. I felt miserable, incomplete as I, unconsciously, began comparing Liam with Archie. They were so different.

When we finally reached the 7th floor I got out of the elevator first and began walking without knowing where I was heading until his soft voice said:

– Over here.

I looked back to watch how Archie unlocked the door and held it open for me. I went inside without thanking him his courtesy. His room was nothing to be surprised of considering that the hotel he was ranked: _Grand Tourism_. The curtains were closed and the heating system was on. It felt warm and comfortable but still I wasn't happy to be there. I heard how the door close behind me and that only made the uneasiness to grow.

Archie moved towards the king size bed, lifted the sheets and grabbed his coffin. It was a very simple coffin made out of oak wood with no ornaments on it. I thought that for someone like him that could afford spending money on a trip and a _Grand Tourism_ hotel, getting a better coffin would be as easy as hunting a mouse, but maybe I was wrong. Then Archie said:

– Wanna see something cool?

I looked at him for an instant and then he showed me hidden button I didn't see the first time I looked at the coffin. He pressed it and in a few seconds the coffin was gone, it transformed into a simple black suitcase. I unconsciously smiled. This must have pleased Archie because he smiled too.

– This coffin was specially design for trips by my father. You see he was always complaining about how hard and uncomfortable it was to carry and hide the coffins so one night he locked himself in his office. He didn't even go out to hunt because he was so immersed in his thoughts. When he finally came out he got out of the house and, again locked himself in the little carpentry we own. He was there for five nights. Finally on the sixth night, when my mom's nerves were on the extreme he got out shouting: "Eureka, eureka, I've done it!". He showed us the suit case and how by pressing a button it turned into a coffin and back into a suitcase.

"When I told him I wanted to come to Vienna he gave me the coffin without a second thought. I'm sure he did it because he has the originals plans and he can make a new one when ever he feels like it.

I stared at the marvelous object while I listened. It was such a silly excuse to invent such incredible object that for a moment I got interested in Archie's family and worse, interested in Archie himself. I got my feet back on Earth.

– We should be going now. – I said with a firm but monotone voice.

He looked at me seeming surprised but then nodded once and went looking for the rest of his things. He was done in less than a minute and I noticed that he carried lots of things. He held four suitcases, of considerable size, with his tow hands plus the extra suitcase-coffin that was still on the floor next to me. He stared at the fifth suitcase with such puzzled eyes that anyone would have though he was trying to lift it by telekinesis. This time I couldn't do anything but laugh.

When Archie saw me he began laughing too. Our laughs sounded harmonious and beautiful but a memory of Liam cut my laughter on the act.

– Are you all right? –asked Archie. – You were laughing and in an instant you changed you mood completely. Now you look kind of tense.

– It's nothing. Here let me help you. –I said grabbing the coffin and one of the suitcases on his left hand. I had recovered from that _lapsus-laughiosus _and had gone back to the monotone.

Down at the lobby realized that the receptionist was still the same and I made it look obvious that what she was thinking when she first looked at us going up, was wrong. I strangely felt proud and triumphant. Archie logged out of the hotel, thanked the receptionist and walked to the entrance of the hotel where I was waiting. We left quickly and in silence.

When we finally arrived home he got to the gate first but before opening it he turned around to face me and in a very low voice he said:

–Thank you for tonight's memories.

With nothing more to add he opened the gate and let me through first. My father opened the door of the house and officially welcomed Archie to our house. My father took away the two suitcases I was holding in my hands and guided Archie to his new room. I was simply exhausted. I didn't want to know anything else and without a word I slipped into my room. 12:38. It was still too early but I wanted to be alone so I began doing my homework. Under normal circumstances I would have been done with everything in about an hour. But that day was special. I didn't want to go out of my room so I dedicated a lot of time to my homework.

I suppose that's the way human girls solve their homework. I paid attention to the details, I got pissed when something didn't made sense, I used "properly" my eraser for the first time in the school year and I even drew some doodles on the edge of two of my notebooks (also the first time). When I was finally done I felt better. 5:17 said my clock. That meant almost bed time. If I managed to survive the next hour and a half, the night would finally be over.

I wanted to keep myself busy so either my parents nor Archie could bother me any more. I though of the possibility of reading a book but that wasn't good enough so I rather decided to clean my room a little. I began by running down stairs to look for the broom and the mop. Then I brushed all the dust from my book shelf, the night table, the dressing table and the computer's desk. After that I swept and mop the floor taking my time to check if it was really clean or not. At the end I decided to change the sheets of my bed so that tomorrow's night I would use it to do some laundry after my homework. Finally 6:49. The sun was about to come out.

I must say that even if I'm a vampire (a beautiful, immortal being that survives by taking the blood of living things, bla, bla, bla) I've always liked to change my clothes as much as possible so it mustn't surprise you that I had lots of pajamas on my closet. I took out one of my favorites. It was a light blue, soft cotton fabric of two pieces: the pants and the sleeveless top. The fabric had some abstract drawings in a dark blue color and the top had a little bow on the middle of the chest.

I got my coffin out and began undressing. I was thinking about my latest dreams. I began wondering again if they were epiphanies or simple nonsense dreams. At the same time I was able to imagine every single detail of the landscape. My whole vampiric mind was submerged in these kind of thought while I wrapped my shirt and my jeans that I didn't realized I was still on my underwear. I began to stare through the window when I heard a knock on my door without properly thinking about it.

–Come in. – I said.

The door opened but I was still looking through the window. Nobody said anything I turned and saw Archie grabbing the door knob with his eyes on me and his cheeks turning pink. Only then I realized I was half naked. My cheeks went pink too, my arm wrapped around my chest, my body fell to knees and a high-pitched scream escaped from my throat.

* * *

Here is what I promised

Enjoy and please leave some reviews.


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